


An Old Song

by Lyrishadow



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-06
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2019-03-14 10:55:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13588596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyrishadow/pseuds/Lyrishadow
Summary: This is the story of when Ly'zia, smuggler, liar, thief and sabbacc cheat -though you would never catch her in any of these situations - oh and holo-novel author; became trusted with the galaxy at large; lost her friends and her ship - got her ship back, and so the story goes. It is also a love story, of when Corso met Ly'zia; and how they travelled together for a good five to six years, married; saved the galaxy a few more times, and then lost each other.It is also what happens when they play the jukebox with its old sappy songs.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> WORK IN PROGRESS (Raw work in progress, editing, grammar checks etc to come)  
> SPOILERS: Smuggler quest line in SWTOR; KOTET and KOTFE are all included in this story, with some additional imaginings from my mind.

It was late evening by the time Ly'zia managed to get to the cantina, all the paperwork from running the galaxy was giving her yet another headache, she wanted nothing more than to run to her ship and disappear back to her semi-criminal lifestyle. Freedom was, however, a daydream she longed for -an escape. After everything, however, she felt she owed it to these people to give it a go even if it was not her thing.

  
Someone punched a song up on the jukebox, THAT song, the one playing the day they got married, the one Corso had danced with her. In the back of her mind, she wished Corso would walk in, it had been too long since she had seen her husband.. Staring at her drink, which she seemed to do more often than drinking it lately, she could hear Lana and Theron making concerned noises behind her. It took her a few minutes to gather herself and nod to the room in general before retreating to her room. Sitting at the holo terminal she stared at news listings like she had every night since they had let her have access and searched for whatever she could think of in relation to Corso. It was the same old song and dance though, every night with no results.  
"Damn it, Corso, where are you?" she stared at the console again as though he might magically appear. Her frustration vocal and loud.  
It would be fine if everything would just stop going to hell altogether. If people stopped wanting to kill each other or to kill her or all of the above. She thought that it might be that Corso was actually dead, or in prison, her heart skipped a beat a the thought of her farmboy in prison, or dead she didn't want that. Didn't ever want anything bad to happen to him when they couldn't help each other when she couldn't be there. Risha had said she would protect them but Ly'zia was not even able to find information on Risha either.  
"Everything I did to you, tried to push you away, I never wanted to lose you in the end." Tears slowly worked their way down her face, then a sharp knock at her door made her hurriedly scrub her hand roughly over her face and attempt a smile. She didn't want anyone to see her as weak, nor did she want to burden anyone with these issues.. it wasn't like they could fix it.  
"Come in?" Even to her ears that sounded forced.  
"Sorry, bad time?"  
In the doorway stood the last person she had expected to see.  
"Ah... hi Major..." she frowned then looked concern as Aric Jorgan remained in the doorway, quietly observing her, a bottle of some kind in his hand.He was studiously staring at the floor, she knew enough that he was not here by preference, he either had a mission or a message.  
"We drew lots," he muttered.  
"Oh." Lyzia sat down heavily on the sofa- it was kind of comforting that someone noticed, but also kind of annoying that she couldn't be depressed in private. "Have I really been that bad?"  
"You could say that. Heard you muttering late into most nights when I'm on patrol." He admitted the last bit as he let out a sigh and handed her a bottle. "Courtesy of Hylo... no idea what it is."  
"Oh!" He had handed her a bottle of her favourite whiskey, the kind she used to buy by the carton and store on the ship. Now though, there were no boozy nights with her crew because her crew was gone. No falling drunk into bed with Corso afterwards either.

"Ah." she grinned as she undid the lid and inhaled the intoxicating smell of the liquid inside.  
"Good stuff I take it?"Aric sat down opposite the Outlander, she had many names, and she had been as good as a criminal but she had at least proved herself as a leader, and capable in his mind.  
"So, who is Corso?"  
"Stars," Ly'zia muttered her dark fur turning a darker tone as she flushed with embarrassment. "I had no idea I was being that loud...""  
Aric smiled a little at his fellow Cathar, she was not what he had expected in a smuggler, he would be the first to admit she had a lot more going for her than being a criminal; she had served the Republic they said, but also broken who knows how many laws along the way never caught just always barely above that line of legal. She was a pretty thing, even now she sat with her hair neatly done up in a bun, curled just right, and her clothes straight and clean. Not your typical spacer.  
"You can talk, actually I am meant to sit here and listen." He looked at her, unsure of how to proceed.  
"Meant to? Aric don't babysit me, I don't need it." Finally, the sense of injustice that everyone around her deciding she needed to talk began to annoy her. They stared at one another for a moment.  
"I would have asked anyhow." he said finally "besides that is good whiskey...I may as well help you drink it."  
Brewed on Correllia, the label sported gold leaf and some kind of letter-set which spelled exactly how expensive it was. Risha had been amazed by the fact she had loads of the stuff. She made up a story, that was what she was good at, stories. She lowered her eyes to her glass now full of the amber liquid. Should she tell just a story? Would that get them to leave her alone? At the same time, she desperately wanted someone else to care that Corso wasn't there with her, that she was alone. She looked up when Aric exhaled.  
"No, honestly Commander? I am concerned, you keeping your self to yourself is fine and good, but you need friends, need an outlet where you can trust someone." he took a deep breath as he realized what he was essentially offering. "I might have been military a long time, but I admire someone who thinks before they act."  
"You don't think I am stupid and pretentious?" she asked stunned, it was usually what military people made of her.  
"You do try to make people believe that don't you."  
"Safer." she shook her head "I could never trust anyone ... until.. " Corso. Again.  
"That guy you were looking for?"  
"Corso Riggs." she sighed even his name stirred her heart these days. "Ord Mantel born and raised - knows guns better than anyone I know. The most handsome man with a heart of gold, even if he's happy to get into a scrap, he always had my back from the moment we met." Memories flooded over her and she leaned forward a little almost feeling sick with the ache of missing him. "I am sorry, I didn't want to waste your time.."  
"That is not why I am here." He poured himself a drink and sat down again. "Why not talk about them?"  
"Because they aren't here... they... " they could be dead she pushed back against the tears, after all, Aric Jorgan was a military man, and consoling his commander was not his job.  
"I'm sorry." His reply was sincere, and she took it to heart.  
"Corso was... is.. my husband." she shifted to show her ungloved hand and the small wedding band she and Corso had picked out on Nar Shaddaa - stars how long ago now? After Rishi He had insisted that other men know she was taken, and finally, after railing against him on the point for half a day she had finally agreed. She loved him, pure and simple and the time apart had turned her into a sap, a loyal sap with no interest in anyone else. Not that it stopped her from flirting, but then that was part of her charm.  
"Really?" Aric sat back, it was a piece of information no-one really knew about her, that she had a husband that... well, she would feel like crap without him. He could understand, after all it had been bad enough when his own CO went missing.  
"Ha, surprising a black sheep like me managed to marry a man like him..." she paused, "You asked what he was like.. who he was..."  
"Well, I have all the time you need.." he refilled his glass, deciding it was going to be a long night as reluctant as he was, he knew he had drawn the short straw, it could have been Theron or Lana. At least he had some idea of where she had come from, Cathar are a proud race, and he could see some of that in how she carried herself, and the presence of a well used Cathar war blade hanging in her room. He also knew Cathar did not enter life commitments lightly. He sat back to listen, it was after all she had done, the least he could do.  
"It started on Ord Mantel."  
"Ord Mantel? Oh." Aric leaned forward a bit, a sudden realization stealing over him."Now I know where I know you from, I was stationed there a lifetime ago..."  
"About the same time I was forced to stay for a bit no doubt.. some scummy thief stole my ship..." she shook her head, even now, after everything, Skarvek's name elicited a far angrier response than the Emporer's.  
"Ever drink in the Cantina?"  
"I got stone drunk there my first night in port... my family are, were all military, so a military base isn't where I usually went.."  
"You drink very good whiskey."  
"Yeah I had my own stash." she shrugged "My ship's stocks were cleaned out, presume Corso or Risha took it, must have mentioned it to Hylo ."  
"How'd you make a living?" he eyed the bottle surprised Hylo must be concerned about Ly'zia to have provided the right brand of drink.  
"The truth or what everyone else thinks I did?"  
"Let's go with what everyone else thinks, and then you can tell me the truth." He was relaxing now, the conversations flow was a lot easier than either had expected.  
"What everyone else thinks I did was run freight, borderline.. ah.. unique.. freight." she ran her hand through her hair.  
"Smuggler..." he murmured as she nodded. "So what did you really do for money?"  
"Not a lot of cash in smuggling really, but I like the lifestyle or did... no ties, no family fussing at you, adventure, unknown and somewhere to belong." she paused her mind flittered over the crew she had left. "I guess it became home and family in the end, as strange as the family was. I was.. am... a writer of holo-novels, however."  
"A writer?" he had not seen that coming at all.  
"Yeah, used to be popular but who knows after five years, don't even know if my agent made it through the mess." she sighed "my mind has been on other things lately anyhow."

"It's always good to have a hobby, even now." he gestured at the pile of datapads on her desk. "All work and no relaxation isn't good for you."  
"I can't relax," she said quietly staring at the floor. "After all of this, the crap with Valkorian, the rubbish of dealing with his kids.... ups and downs and people trying to kill me? Hell, I am surprised I am still walking let alone relaxed."  
"Fair point." Aric sighed, she had been through some rubbish that was for sure, and to be without her mate for that long? "No sign of your people?"  
"No, and that is the problem." the leader of the Alliance settled back in her sofa, drink in hand, attempting what she thought was a relaxed pose. "Risha is royalty - surely something, someone somewhere knows where she is? I mean... last I knew she was set to get back her throne."  
"Royalty?"  
"My crew were... different. I had a Mandalorian, a former Padawan, a Wookie..."  
"Your former padawan... Gus by chance?"  
"Ha, yeah you met him?"  
"Not directly, but some of my men mentioned that they lost to him in a game."  
Ly'zia tried not to crack up laughing, if nothing else at least Gus was safe in the Alliance base, he could still dupe people out of their cash though - he was terrible at cards but really good at beating docile unsuspecting people - who were not expecting a sleight of hand or a lie. Her crew, she felt lost without them. Even Akaavi who had been so reluctant to be a part of it all. She had to wonder where they were. The dull ache remained strongest, however, when she considered Corso.


	2. About the Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Endings are easier to remember than beginnings.

 

Their relationship had solidified into something special well before they had faced Rogun.  It was just that Ly'zia had always tested it, always pulled apart every thread, not trusting that such a love - such a strength of love - was real. Yet now it was like a galaxy come full circle. 

 

It wasn't until they were heading back to the space port it had seemed so utterly ridiculous. Corso had been quiet as they walked back. Ly'zia was just as introspective,  it was a sobering thought that they had played her. Though when galactic politics had become a game to these people she didn't know. 

How long had Rogun known? Was it from when Vidu was killed? How long had they had this net out waiting for someone gullible? 

"For the love of a blaster..." she shook her head perplexed at the turn of events.

"Regrets Captain?" Corso stopped for a second as they walked along the dust lined street of Anchorhead. 

She glanced up at him and wondered what it would have been like without him. If she had not taken on her former boss' trip to Ord Mantel all that time ago; it was possible that she would never have met Corso, let alone fallen in love with him and agreed with his proposal to court her.

"Some, but I don't regret meeting you." 

"This whole thing, are you sure you're okay?"

"No, I was played in a game I didn't sign up for." she sighed scrubbing her hands down her leg in exasperation "Rogun knew right? About Darmus and Dodanna?"

"Yeah I guess."

"And he just didn't figure on letting me know because freaking Skarvek stole those blasters?"

"Seems aweful stupid now doesn't it?" Corso glanced at her as they started walking again "I'm sorry about my part, you know introducing you to Darmas."

"That was not your fault.. He was helpful to start with, and I admit I had a bad feeling when we met him... hell when I heard his voice." her nose twitched a little when she said that, there was something she couldn't put her finger on concerning that man, his accent had sounded fake but real enough to pass, his motives were always an alarming question to her; since she had no desire to rule the criminal underworld or steal from people.

"They did try to twist you.." Corso mused as he also recalled conversations and actions in the past.

"Sure. No-one changes who i am though. No-one and nothing, I will be true to myself."she stated as if it was a promise, an extension of their own promises before stopping so quickly the dust kicked up "I promise I will be true to you too."

"Thanks, I know...." he gestured around them "that you find men easy to ah... talk to."

"I finally get it Corso, it might have taken me this long but I finally get it."

"So you won't flirt with anyone?" He seemed skeptical and he was right when she laughed.

"I didn't say that" She took his hand in her small paw with a grin "you gotta know you are the only farm boy for me, I don't need anyone else. Ever." 

He grinned, it was enough, and she pulled him down a bit to her height and kissed him on the nose.

"We have to get to Corellia, you know this isn't over until I see handcuffs on Damas' wrists," Ly'zia said, suddenly turning her annoyed walk into one with purpose.

"Don't forget Dodanna...." Corso reminded her adding to the conviction they had to fix this "she should get her due too."

"Corso, how do you put up with all the crap I drag you through?"

"Well" He thought a bit about the question. "I don't really know, the only other option is to be without you, and I really don't want that."

"I am glad to have you here Corso." 

"You know I am not going anywhere without you," he gave her a playful punch to the shoulder. "I am yours any way you want me."

"I might need to think about that." she added with a smirk; they had reached the spaceport and soon everything would be business. They had to get to Corellia.

"How far is it to Corelia from here?" she glanced at Corso trying to make a plan.

"Nearly four days" Corso said trying to do a quick calculation in his head.

"Well, lets get to it then." Ly'zia was tired, but she knew that in everything they had been running around doing she had to see it finished. Corso seemed aware of her thought process, and how tired she was.

"We can get some rest on the way right?'

"Yeah auto-pilot should be good for some of it." she glanced down at her blaster and shotgun, "be a good time to clean these too..."

"Yeah we have to be ready for anything..." 

"Ready for war." Ly'zia said soberly "I hate war."

 

They reached the ship and got ready to set off from the space port at Anchorhead, finding Risha had refueled it ready to go.

"I wasn't sure if you were going to bring more trouble back with you.." Risha shrugged "So... what's happening?"

"Well, Darmas and Dodanna are traitors." Corso supplied. Risha raised an eyebrow but didn't look too suprised. 

"And?" she glanced at Ly'zia

"We are going to chase them to Corellia." Ly replied as quietly as Risha had ever heard her be.

"That's a war zone..." Risha began, sounding irritated that they were being dragged into something again.

" A good place for honor." Akaavi added from where she was watching the exchange. "And revenge."

"Well, I need to go after them, we can't let them escape not with what they have done.." Ly'zia ran her hand over her hair, a nervous habit she was sure that they all knew meant she had no idea what she was doing.

"Well, tell me you at least have a plan..." Risha folded her arms, she pretty much knew by now that Ly'zia was capable, but she seldom planned ahead.

"A name... Rogun gave us a name" Ly'zia shrugged "It's a start."

"Alright..." the others just shrugged as Risha looked at them, all but Corso.

"It's a good start, we will know more when we get there."

"I know it is a war zone." Ly'zia said looking at Risha " It will be better at least if the authorities know about those two."

"So. You are going on a name your supposed enemy gave you, to deal with the people who were meant to have been friends?"

"Ah something like that." Ly'zia shrugged again, details were not her thing.

 

It was a short meeting, after all with very little to discuss she had simply wanted to tell them they were going. Ly'zia sat exhausted on the edge of the bed in her quarters. Corso, having set the nav computer for Correllia came in to find her staring at the floor.

" Captain?" He asked sitting down next to her, his arm around her

" Corso..." Ly'zia sighed leaned into his arms. "I am not cut out for this life."

"Aw Zia." he murmured while he rubbed her back softly. Nothing he could say had any weight right now she was just tired, worn out by chasing everything back an forth.

"I just need sleep, right?" she looked up at him, through her eyelashes. "I will feel more the hero tomorrow?"

"Rest is important." he agreed, getting her to tell him what exactly had left her so drained was not working indirectly.

"So Zia, what... why does this...?" he tried to frame a more direct approach.

She sat up and looked at him carefully.

"I told you I escaped slavery, that Rick found me..." 

He nodded knowing her story.

"Well, you could say I was betrayed into that slavery in the first place."  she ran a hand through her hair. "I was only a kit, but my dad.. he was a rough ex-military kind of guy."  she ran a hand absentmindedly across a small scar on her leg.

"Is he still alive?" Corso asked, an undercurrent of anger in his voice, he knew she had scars form her childhood, he didn't really understand how the man could be left standing with all he had failed to do or done.

"I dunno." Ly'zia shrugged "It doesn't matter, he used me as collateral in a card game.. and lost... and..."

"Lost you?!" Corso's eyes widened, "How could someone sell his own kid?"

"I dunno, but it took me ages to figure out that people don't betray you without reasons - he was a drunk, and vicious more so after my mother died." 

"Reasons but not excuses?"

"Exactly." she paused again sighing "I swore no-one would ever fool me again, not to fall for love or money... or security."

"But Dodanna and Darmas..." 

"Yeah they fooled me with money and my own dang principles."she sighed again staring at the floor, it hurt Corso to see her feeling so helplessly lost. 

Then it struck him then that she had said she would not be fooled for love. "If I didn't hate the empire, didn't want the Republic to win.. would it have been different...?"

"No most likely not, they cushioned it all in money. Hey...what do you mean fall for love...?"

"That is where you came along and taught me something." she smiled at him, a genuine admiration lighting her eyes "You taught me that love endures, through all the crap, all the pain - you stuck by me and you never changed your feelings."

"I..." Corso's face turned a shade redder "I can't change how I feel."

She nodded leaning again onto his shoulder. 

"I know, and I value that." she sighed again closing her eyes "I really am just totally worn out."

"I guess." he held her a minute, her eyes closed and  he had to stifle a laugh when she started to purr just a little.

"Hey..." she poked him "can't help it, you are very comfortable."

"Let's get some sleep, tomorrow you can explain again why you purr." he suggested.

"Only if you make me." she giggled as they finally got ready to sleep. 

 

"Where do you think this is going to take us this time?"

"Oh I don't know." she yawned "Let's just wing it."

Corso smiled as the Captain rolled over to sleep nestled in his arms. He would stake his life for moments like these - whatever comes he hoped there would be a lot more times together where the world was shut out


End file.
